Combinational electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electronic apparatus has an electronic module and a connection assembly. The electronic module has a first housing and a first connection portion. The first connection portion is disposed on and recessed in a rear surface of the first housing and has a first magnetic attraction element and a first buckle assembly. The first buckle assembly is disposed on two sides of the first connection portion. The connection assembly is detachably connected with the electronic module and has a second housing and a second connection portion. The second connection portion is disposed on the second housing, is formed as a protrusion corresponding to the recessed first connection portion in shape, and has a second magnetic attraction element and a second buckle assembly. The second buckle assembly is disposed on two sides of the second connection portion and is detachably engaged with the first buckle assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, and moreparticularly to a combinational electronic apparatus that can becombined with an L-shaped magnetic connecting device.

2. Description of Related Arts

Electronic apparatuses are important tools in daily life. To improve theconvenience of using electronic apparatuses, various electronicapparatuses with different functions may be connected with each other.For example, a driving recorder may be connected with a globalpositioning system (GPS) to obtain the positioning data.

A conventional driving recorder substantially comprises a fixing baseand a recorder. The fixing base is adapted to be attached to awindscreen of a vehicle. The recorder is adjustably connected with thefixing base and comprises a video lens and a display to record themotion pictures.

However, the fixing base of the conventional driving recorder isconnected with a top surface of the recorder, so when the recorder isattached to the windscreen, a vertical distance from the recorder to thewindscreen is relatively long. With the long vertical distance, therecorder is easily detached from the fixing base due to vibration orinertia when the vehicle is driving on a bumpy road or during anemergency brake. Therefore, the conventional driving recorder is notconvenient in use and may cause negative influence to driving safety.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide acombinational electronic apparatus to mitigate or obviate theaforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a combinationalelectronic apparatus that is easily combined and detached and has areduced vertical distance between the electronic apparatus and a surfaceto which the electronic apparatus is attached.

The electronic apparatus has an electronic module and a connectionassembly. The electronic module has a first housing and a firstconnection portion. The first connection portion is disposed on andrecessed in a rear surface of the first housing and has a first magneticattraction element and a first buckle assembly. The first magneticattraction element is mounted in the first housing. The first buckleassembly is disposed on two sides of the first connection portion. Theconnection assembly is detachably connected with the electronic moduleand has a second housing and a second connection portion. The secondconnection portion is disposed on the second housing, is formed as aprotrusion corresponding to the recessed first connection portion inshape, and has a second magnetic attraction element and a second buckleassembly. The second magnetic attraction element is mounted in thesecond housing at a position where the second connection portion ismagnetically attracted to the first magnetic attraction element. Thesecond buckle assembly is disposed on two sides of the second connectionportion and is detachably engaged with the first buckle assembly.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combinational electronic apparatus inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the combinational electronic apparatus inpartial section in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the combinational electronicapparatus in partial section in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side view in partial section of the combinational electronicapparatus in partial section in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a combinational electronic apparatus inaccordance with the present invention comprises an electronic module 10and a connection assembly.

The electronic module 10 may be a driving recorder that has a video lensfor recording motion pictures and a memory for storing the motionpictures. The electronic module 10 comprises a first housing 12 and afirst connection portion 14. The first housing 12 is formed as the outercasing of the electronic module 10. The first connection portion 14 isdisposed on a rear surface of the first housing 12. Preferably, thefirst connection portion 14 comprises a cavity recessed in the rearsurface of the first housing 12. The first connection portion 14 has afirst buckle assembly 142 and a first magnetic attraction element 144.

The first buckle assembly 142 is mounted on two sides of the firstconnection portion 14. Preferably, the first buckle assembly 142comprises two engaging recesses defined respectively in the two sides ofthe first buckle assembly 142. The first magnetic attraction element 144is mounted in the first housing 12.

The connection assembly comprises a fixing base 20 and a connectiondevice 30. The fixing base 20 comprises a fixing segment 22, aconnecting segment 24, and an angle-controlling ring 26. The fixingsegment 22 can be securely attached to a flat surface, such as awindscreen of a vehicle. The connecting segment 24 is connected with thefixing segment 22 and can protrude from one end of the fixing segment22. The connection segment 24 has an end opposite the fixing segment 22and provided with an adjusting member. The adjusting member has a threadformed on the outer surface of the adjusting member and a concave spacedefined in the adjusting member. The angle-controlling ring 26 ismounted rotatably around the connecting segment 24. Preferably, theangle-controlling ring 26 is threaded with the thread on the adjustingmember, and the concave space is formed between the adjusting member andthe angle-controlling ring 26.

The connection device 30 is connected adjustably with the fixing base 20and comprises a second housing 32, an extension member 34, and a secondconnection portion 36. The connection device 30 may have a globalpositioning system (GPS) arranged inside the connection device 30.

The extension member 34 is formed on and protrudes from the secondhousing 32 and has a spherical end. The spherical end is rotatablymounted in the concave space in the adjusting member, and the extensionmember 34 is clamped between the adjusting member and theangle-controlling ring 26. When the angle-controlling ring 26 isthreaded tightly with the adjusting member, the concave space is reducedto prevent the extension member 34 from rotating relative to the fixingbase 20. Accordingly, the angle between the connection device 30 and thefixing base 20 is fixed. Thus, the angle between the connection device30 and the fixing base 20 can be adjusted after the angle-controllingring 26 is unthreaded from the adjusting member.

The second connection portion 36 is disposed on the second housing 32.In the preferable embodiment, the second connection portion 36 is formedas a protrusion corresponding to the recessed first connection portion14 in shape. The second connection portion 36 has a second buckleassembly 364 and a second magnetic attraction element 362. The secondbuckle assembly 364 is disposed on two sides of the second connectionportion 36. Preferably, the second buckle assembly 364 comprisesresilient engaging tabs formed respectively on the two sides of thesecond connection portion 364 and are selectively engaged with the twoengaging recesses of the first buckle assembly 142. The second magneticattraction element 362 is mounted in the second housing 32 at a positionwhere the second connection portion 364 is magnetically attracted to thefirst magnetic attraction element 144.

In use, the fixing base 20 is securely attached to a flat surface, suchas a windscreen of a vehicle. The electronic module 10 is connected withthe connection device 30 by the engagements of the engaging recesses ofthe first buckle assembly 142 and the resilient tabs of the secondbuckle assembly 364. Accordingly, the electronic module 10 can beconveniently and easily combined with the connection device 30.

In addition, with the magnetic attraction force of the magneticattraction elements 144,362, the combination between the electronicmodule 10 and the connection device 30 is firm. Because the firstconnection portion 14 is disposed on the rear surface of the firsthousing 12 of the electronic module 10, the vertical distance from theelectronic module 10 to the surface to which the fixing base 20 isattached can be effectively reduced. Accordingly, the electronic module10 is not detached from the connection device 30 even when the vehicleis driving on a bumpy road or during an emergency brake.

Furthermore, with the reduced vertical distance from the electronicmodule 10 to the surface to which the electronic apparatus is attached,the overall appearance of the electronic apparatus in accordance withthe present invention can be effectively flattened. Therefore, when theelectronic apparatus is attached to a windscreen of a vehicle, theelectronic apparatus can be hidden behind a rearview mirror of thevehicle. Consequently, the arrangement of the electronic apparatus willnot interfere with the sight of the driver, and the safety of drivingcan be improved. In addition, the appearance of the inside of thevehicle is neat.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and function of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic apparatus comprising: an electronicmodule having a first housing; and a first connection portion disposedon and recessed in a rear surface of the first housing and having afirst magnetic attraction element mounted in the first housing; and afirst buckle assembly disposed on two sides of the first connectionportion; and a connection assembly detachably connected with theelectronic module and having a second housing; and a second connectionportion disposed on the second housing, formed as a protrusioncorresponding to the recessed first connection portion in shape,detachably mounted in and held in the first connection portion, andhaving a second magnetic attraction element mounted in the secondhousing at a position where the second connection portion ismagnetically attracted to the first magnetic attraction element; and asecond buckle assembly disposed on two sides of the second connectionportion and detachably engaged with the first buckle assembly.
 2. Theelectronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first buckleassembly comprises two engaging recesses defined in the two sides of thefirst connection portion; and the second buckle assembly comprises tworesilient engaging tabs formed on the two sides of the second connectionportion and selectively engaged with the two engaging recesses.
 3. Theelectronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connectionassembly comprises a fixing base and a connecting device connectedadjustably with the fixing base; the second housing and the secondconnection portion are disposed on the connecting device.
 4. Theelectronic apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fixing basecomprises a fixing segment; a connecting segment connected with thefixing segment and connected rotatably with the electronic device; andan angle-controlling ring mounted rotatably around the connectingsegment.
 5. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein theconnection assembly comprises a fixing base and a connecting deviceconnected adjustably with the fixing base; the second housing and thesecond connection portion are disposed on the connecting device.
 6. Theelectronic apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fixing basecomprises a fixing segment; a connecting segment connected with thefixing segment and connected rotatably with the electronic device; andan angle-controlling ring mounted rotatably around the connectingsegment.